Writing for 6abc.com, Brian Taff noted that typos can lead to big problems when people use the web, as they can make their computer vulnerable to a virus, a scam or identity theft.

He claimed that typosquatting has reached “unprecedented levels”, as fraudsters try to take advantage of the growing popularity of online shopping and social media.

They are registering domains with similar – but not the same – spellings as popular brands, in the hope that web users visit their sites by accident.

“For instance, you may type in dot-org instead of dot-com,” Mr. Taff explained.

“Or instead of typing in Twitter.com to get the real Twitter website you may type in twitr.com and get a prize site pop-up.”

And for this reason, Mr Taff says it is important for web users to take care when typing domain names into their URL bar.

By visiting ‘fake’ websites setup by cybersquatters, computer users increase their chances of being attacked by Trojan horses, spyware and malware.

Web users may even expose themselves to identity theft, it has been suggested.

“Instead of ending up on a site that offers gifts, prizes, or sweepstakes you may end up on a phishing website site that looks just like the legitimate one,” Mr .Taff stated.

He said consumers need to take care, but also use common sense if they end up on a different website to the one they intended.

“If a website looks suspicious or fishy it probably is so exit and try again,” Mr. Taff told the news provider.

Nominet – the not-for-profit organization responsible for managing the .co.uk domain – is now allowing parties to register domain names for up to ten years.

They will also be able to secure domains for periods as short as one year, reports The Register.

Previously, anybody buying a .co.uk domain name was required to sign up for an initial period of two years, and then re-register every two years after that.

The changes have been brought into effect to bring the UK ccTLD into line with other major domain such as .com and .org.

More than ten million businesses, organizations and individuals currently use a .co.uk domain to support their online activities.

This makes the suffix the world’s second most popular country code top level domain, after Germany’s .de.

People will then have until May 30th to apply for the names.

The system was closed on April 12th after a glitch in the way it handles attachments which had the potential to reveal users’ personal details was spotted.

“Even as late as May 7, 2012, our packet-level research uncovered a new set of instances (in addition to those previously announced) where another applicant might have viewed a set of system-generated file names,” ICANN stated earlier this week. “It is possible that further analysis will also show that some of the parties that we have notified were not affected, but notice was provided out of an abundance of caution.”

Investigations by ICANN showed that there are no indications that the system was hacked and a large number of users were not affected at all.

Top level domain names will allow companies to register their own suffixes rather than the traditional .co.uk and .com.

As many as 1,000 domain names could be added each year promoting greater competition within the marketplace.

Restaurant owner Paul Ardaji settled on the name Fuku – which means ‘good fortune’ in Japanese – but the Florida Department of State Divisions has refused to issue a mark for the name.

It said the proposed trademark consists of, compromises or includes immoral, deceptive or scandalous matter – a reference to its pronunciation, which – inadvertently or not – alludes to a four-letter slur.

Mr. Ardaji expressed disappointment at the decision, saying the state had looked at things “from a very narrow scope”.

“I think they’ll realize it’s not our intention to be scandalous or deceptive,” he added.

An appeal has been lodged challenging the decision of the Florida Department of State Divisions not to award a trademark.

Mr. Ardaji confirmed that, irrespective of the outcome, the restaurant will open to the public next month.

On April 12th, the day the 90-day application window was originally scheduled to close, a technical glitch saw the TAS system go offline early.

ICANN has been working to solve the problem, before reopening the system to parties wishing to apply for a gTLD for a short period.

“We are systematically combing through TAS logs and analyzing data for signs of access applicants may have had to file names and user names of others,” ICANN stated.

“We have narrowed the pool of affected applications and the associated posted documents. However, the integrity of each and every application is our number one priority, so we must be as thorough as possible.”

The corporation said it remains its plan to provide an update on the reopening of the TAS system by Friday April 27th.

ICANN said it appreciates the continued patience of its stakeholders as the unexpected issue is resolved.

Staged at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center between May 5th and 9th, the event will bring together brand monitoring specialists from around the world.

More than 9,000 intellectual property professionals are expected to convene at this year’s INTA annual meeting, making it one of the world’s premier intellectual property forums.

Corporation Service Company (CSC) will be among those in attendance, with the firm showcasing its industry expertise and advanced solutions at Booth 309.

CSC’s brand protection specialists will be on hand at the event to meet with representatives of US and international corporations and law firms.

The firm will offer strategic insight on emerging infringement trends and provide guidance to companies and their legal advisors on ways to better monitor and enforce brand rights.

CSC specialists will be focusing on three areas of expertise in particular at this year’s event – domain management, social media username registration and monitoring services.

Domain management helps brand owners identify and register the right domain names, enabling parties to achieve long-term intellectual property protection, revenue growth, and cost-reduction goals.

Where social media usernames are concerned, CSC has expertise in protecting its clients’ brands through existing and emerging social media sites.

The firm proactively registers and maintains branded usernames – or vanity URLs – on behalf of its customers, helping to protect their IP in the online sphere.

Finally, monitoring services help prioritize brand infringement threats for clients with proprietary monitoring technology.

CSC also helps its clients take the required legal action through its industry-leading case management system.

Morehead State University Athletics says Plain Local Schools has been using its trademarked image of an eagle with a full-on beak view of the bird.

And the schools district has chosen not to oppose the claim – it is already phasing out the use of the university’s logo, reports the Canton Repository.

Michael Van Wieren, vice president and attorney at Licensing Resource Group, issued a notice of infringement on February 22nd 2012.

Brent May, superintendent of Plain Local, said the Kentucky-based university has been “very reasonable” in its expectations of Plain Local.

He confirmed that some changes would now be made to the school district’s eagle emblem, with the new design used on all future merchandise.

Mr. May said it would not be a costly transformation to a new logo which does not infringe on the trademark of another party.

According to the Financial Express, domain names have become “the real estate of the online world”.

“In particular short and memorable names can easily sell for six-figure sums at auction, delivering significant returns for investors keen to avoid the turbulence of today’s stock markets,” the news provider stated.

For example, this month’s auction of apps.net is expected to fetch a hefty price, given the importance of applications to many firm’s business models in the digital age.

The news provider said names should be as short as possible and easy to remember, without deviating too far from the core competence.

It remains to be seen what sort of impact the impending launch of new generic top level domain names has on domain name values.

But there is still likely to be significant interest in the most commercially attractive web addresses, which are likely to change hands for large sums of money.

An application has been lodged to keep the .rugby domain within the sport “for the benefit of the global rugby family”, the body noted.

The IRB said it wanted to secure the gTLD to uphold and promote the game’s values, protecting the sport, its trademarks and the interests of core stakeholders.

Bernard Lapasset, chairman of the IRB, said the application underscores the IRB’s continued commitment to protecting and promoting rugby’s values and ethos.

“It is our ambition to ensure that the .rugby domain resides within the sport in order that all involved in rugby can benefit.”

He said that with an 18 per cent increase in participation over the last four years, there are now more than 5.5 million players participating across 117 countries affiliated to the IRB.

“Rugby is engaging with more men, women and children than ever before while the profile and commercial reach of the sport continues to go from strength to strength,” Mr. Lapasset stated.

IRB acting chief executive Robert Brophy said that if the IRB is successful in its application, the gTLD will be made available to clubs, players, organizers and fans across the world, at all levels.

According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), each national or regional office maintains a Register of Trademarks.

Parties seeking protection for their ideas, brands, logos and other IP are required to apply to the office and seek entry on to this register.

It contains full application information on all registrations and renewals, which is crucial in terms of brand monitoring.

Third parties are able to search, examine and potentially raise objection to trademark applications where they risk encroaching onto IP which is already in existence.

However, WIPO noted that the effects of such a registration are limited to the country or region concerned.

This means a trademark registered in the US will not automatically be protected in other countries around the world.

And this is where the Madrid System comes into play.

In order to avoid the need to register separately with each national or regional office, WIPO administers a system of international registration of marks.

This is governed by two treaties, the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks and the Madrid Protocol.

“A person who has a link (through nationality, domicile or establishment) with a country party to one or both of these treaties may, on the basis of a registration or application with the trademark office of that country, obtain an international registration having effect in some or all of the other countries of the Madrid Union,” WIPO explained.